Introduction
This document includes webinar presentation slides that highlight the study design for the Reasonable Efforts Findings Study (REFS), which seeks to better understand how judges’ reasonable efforts decisions relate to case outcomes for children.
Purpose
This document provides an overview of the REFS Study, including the background for the study, study design, and study methodology. It highlights what the study seeks to learn about hearing quality factors that affect a judge’s reasonable efforts decisions, data the study will collect, the study sample, the importance of the study for the legal community, and additional resources/related readings.
Citation
Alicia Summers, Sophie Gatowski, Anne Fromknecht & Eva Klain (2022). The Child Welfare Reasonable Efforts Findings Study (REFS): Understanding the Study Design (OPRE Report No. 2022-286). Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.